Thomas Kirkman
Thomas Kirkman is one of the main characters in Fable: The Balverine Order. Background Thomas was born and raised in Millfields, where he lived in a fairly large house with his mother and father. Thomas also had an older brother, Stephen, but one night, while the two were out in the woods, a Balverine attacked them. Stephen was killed but was able to toss a small dagger to Thomas. Thomas stabbed the beast, giving him enough time to run back home. Upon telling his story, his family was devastated to hear the news of Stephen's death. However, nobody believed Thomas's story of a balverine attack. After this event, Thomas collected many books regarding tales of heroes, adventure, and mythical beasts. He planned that one day he would leave and find proof that balverines still exist; proving that Stephen had been killed by one. Story The story begins with Thomas being called to his dying mother's side. His mother forgives him for his brother's death and confesses than she feels it was for the better, as she feels that the surviving son had so much more potential, but then reveals that she believes that Thomas had died and the survivor was in fact Stephen. Thomas is devasted that his own mother thought that he had died but, seeing his father's reaction, goes along with it. After this, Thomas prepares to set off on his long-planned journey. His servant, James Skelton, who points out that Thomas has no sense of direction, reveals that he is going to tag along as well, and the two head off in an eastward direction. After journeying across Albion, the pair pay a man named Rackam to take them across the ocean. On his boat, James saves a dog from being thrown overboard and names her Poxy Cur. Unfortunately, Captain Rackam and his crew turn out to be pirates and attempt to kill Thomas and James. However, a Kraken attacks and destroys the ship. Thomas, James, and Poxy are able to get into a small lifeboat and begin to row towards shore. The trio arrive in the city of Blackridge, where they agree to help an elderly woman named Mrs. Mullins find out what happened to her husband and daughter. Thomas and James travel to a neighbouring city and learn that Robert and Hannah Mullins had staged their deaths to look like a balverine attack in order to escape the abusive Mrs. Mullins. After a conflict of moral beliefs, Thomas and James agree not to inform Mrs. Mullins of the truth. The pair continue on in search of a man named "Kreel", an apparent balverine hunter. They arrive in the city of Sutcliff where Thomas gets robbed by a female thief. Thomas, James, and a squad of soldiers, corner her in an alleyway. She attempts to pin the blame on Thomas, but he proves her argument to be false. The guards arrest her and prepare to remove her hand, which is the penalty for being a thief. Thomas sees this as an injustice and stands up for her, which results in him getting into a fight with the Sergeant. Thomas, James, and the thief are all arrested and thrown in gaol. They are brought before the magistrate and are told they will be executed. However, the thief reveals herself to be Sabrina Kreel, the daughter of a nobleman, and she is released while Thomas and James are returned to their cell. Sabrina returns later, accompanied by her father who is none other than Ethan Kreel, the balverine hunter, and the two are released and brought to his mansion. There they prepare to go on a balverine hunt with Kreel and a small party of servants and adventurers. During the night, Thomas and Sabrina make love. The next day, the party sets off into the woods. Unfortunately, they are attacked by balverines. All of the servants are killed and the survivors are dragged off to the balverine headquarters. There, it is revealed that Ethan is actually a balverine and uses these hunts to lure people to this location where they are transformed into balverines. However, one of the servants known as Bell rescues them. Bell reveals himself to be Quentin Locke and tells the two that there are three heroic weapons underneath the Kreel Mansion. They enter the room that contains the secret entrance but are attacked by Sabrina, also a balverine. After dealing with her, the trio head down and take their respective weapons. Thomas takes a large sword that belonged to the Hero of Strength. The group then heads back into the forest to slaughter the balverines. Thomas is able to corner Lugaru, the leader of the Balverine Order and the one that killed his brother, Stephen. Lugaru is wounded and attempts to escape. Thomas disables him and threatens to torture him. Lugaru explains that rather than reveal the other members of the Order, he would kill himself. Using his long claw, he cuts his own throat and explains that in the end, he was stronger than Thomas. After the balverines have all been killed, the group gathered back at the mansion to place the weapons back. They then bury Sabrina in an unmarked grave and go their separate ways. Trivia *﻿Poxy is not as fond of him as she is of James, but will defend him at times. *He shares a common dislike of Balverines with Sabrina; Thomas lost his brother to one, while Sabrina's mother was killed by one. *He seems to be the more virtuous of the two shown when he takes on the appearance of someone who has a good alignment after becoming the Hero of Strength *Thomas and James are such close friends that Ethan Kreel mistakes them as being lovers. *Despite living in Millfields, Thomas is the only known living person to have seen a Balverine. Category:Fable: The Balverine Order Characters